Apple will soon change the way serial numbers of Macs and MacBooks are created, with the move to random numbers in early 2021, making it more difficult to identify details about a device.
Currently, the serial number of Apple products uses a format that can provide more information about the device. The existing string can be used to determine when and where a device was produced, as well as configuration codes that reveal the model and storage capacity of the device.
In a change to that structure, Apple will move to a new serial number format that consists of a random alphanumeric string between 8 characters and 14 characters. AppleCare internal email seen by MacRumors explains that it will be scheduled for introduction in “early 2021” and will initially use serial numbers that are 10 digits long.
The introduction was originally scheduled for early 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced Apple to postpone its implementation for a year. Apple products currently being shipped will continue to use the existing format, but future products will move to the new version.
Changing the format will make it impossible to shine the details of the manufacturing location and the week and year of production, details that can be determined with the current system.
Other unique identifiers, such as an iPhone’s IMEI number, will remain unchanged in their current format.